The Mulberry Harbour was a feat of military engineering, with 146 concrete caissons constructed in the UK and towed across the channel.
The harbour allowed for the landing of over 2.5 million men, 500,000 vehicles, and 4 million tons of supplies during the Battle of Normandy.
Some of the original Phoenix caissons in the water are still functional as a breakwater for the local small boat harbor.
The current museum building sits on the exact spot where British engineers established the main landing pier head in 1944.
The museum contains a rare collection of original equipment, including a DUKW amphibious vehicle and a bofors anti-aircraft gun.
The D-Day Museum (Musée du Débarquement) in Arromanches-les-Bains is the world's first museum built to commemorate the D-Day landings of June 6, 1944. It is situated directly overlooking the site of the artificial Mulberry Harbour, which was towed across the English Channel to facilitate the Allied invasion. The facility features a large-scale model and extensive dioramas explaining the complex engineering required to build the temporary port. A significant portion of the original steel and concrete caissons, known as 'Phoenix' units, remains visible in the sea directly in front of the museum. The museum was entirely renovated and expanded in 2023 to include modern immersive projection technologies and a more comprehensive historical context. It serves as a central hub for understanding the logistics behind the liberation of Western Europe.
The observation terrace at the museum, which provides a panoramic view of the Mulberry Harbour remains at sea.
Walk down to the beach at low tide to inspect the massive concrete caissons up close.
Check the tide tables before visiting if you intend to walk out to the remains of the harbour.
Visit the nearby Arromanches 360 circular cinema for a 19-minute film that provides a wider perspective of the Battle of Normandy.
Do not attempt to climb or swim to the offshore concrete caissons as currents can be dangerous and the structures are unstable.
The museum is open daily throughout the year, but may have reduced hours in the winter months.
